Lowrance Transducer

[IrishMist]

I'm looking to replace transducer on my Lowrance HDS9.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Sent from my SM-N975U using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

[EKoselny]

I bought an Airmar B60 thru-hull this winter and I am about to cut a hole and install it as soon as the weather is nice enough. Cant necessarily recommend this as I have not used it yet, but I am very excited for the thru-hull versus the transom mount. I felt like I just never could really get as nice of a picture with the transom mount, especially when on plane.

[fishaddict]

Airman B60 if you salmon troll. 

[IrishMist]

Did you get it installed and try it out yet?

I bought an Airmar B60 thru-hull this winter and I am about to cut a hole and install it as soon as the weather is nice enough. Cant necessarily recommend this as I have not used it yet, but I am very excited for the thru-hull versus the transom mount. I felt like I just never could really get as nice of a picture with the transom mount, especially when on plane.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[EKoselny]

I did get it installed earlier this spring, but I have only been out for a quick shake down trip in shallow water so I cant say much about its performance just yet. 

[IrishMist]

On 5/2/2021 at 9:30 PM, EKoselny said:

I did get it installed earlier this spring, but I have only been out for a quick shake down trip in shallow water so I cant say much about its performance just yet. 

Have you had an opportunity to evaluate the B60 performance much yet?

[fishaddict]

I had it on my 2120 Parker at it was great. I have to move rollers on my trailer before I can install it on my current boat. 

[EKoselny]

I have been out a handful of times this year and I am very satisfied with the B60. On plane I use 200KHz and track the bottom with no problems. When trolling I switch to 50KHz and I am getting very good returns. 

 

I have yet to mark large bait pods while on plane, but I think this is mostly because there has not been much bait around the last few times I have been out fishing (been about 3 weeks since I was out last) I look forward to seeing if I can mark bait while on plane now that I am reading reports of people seeing a lot around. 

[garrymny]

I have an HDS 7..... I am wondering why you are changing the transducer? Is there something not right with the original?

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[EKoselny]

I was running the HST-DSFBL 50/200KHz transom mount. After a few years the returns started getting worse and worse and I was loosing bottom while on plane and not marking fish as well as I though I should be. The thru-hull gets a much better return.

[Andre wallyandre]

If you want to stay with a transom mount there is the TM-165HW; 150-250khz with a beamwidth of 30deg and chirp ready. It's a 600 watts transducers and with the large cone it's perfect for those fish that swim in the water column; this is not the best transducer for structure fishing and fish on the bottom. It's affordable

There is also the TM-185HW: Chirp-ready power of 1kW, frequency: 85-135 kHz

TM mean: transom mount

Naturally a 1Kw is much more $$ and it's a huge transducer.

Edited June 25, 2021 by wallyandre

[fishaddict]

With B60 I was able to see schools of bait and some salmons going 25 m/h. 
mid you decided to go with it make sure you are prepping area very well and taping it to protect working surface from   5200. Place it so your trailer is not rolling or resting on it as well. 

[Andre wallyandre]

The B60 is a 50/200 like the HST-DSFBL w/o Chirp ready and it's a 600 watts instead of the Lowrance that is 300 watts

[EKoselny]

10 hours ago, fishaddict said:

With B60 I was able to see schools of bait and some salmons going 25 m/h. 
mid you decided to go with it make sure you are prepping area very well and taping it to protect working surface from   5200. Place it so your trailer is not rolling or resting on it as well. 

Yes!!! This!!! And do a do a "dry run" of how you are going to install it before applying the sealant. I thought I had a good game plan but after I applied all the goop and installed the transducer into the hole, I realized the wrench I had planned to used to tighten down the nut did not not exactly fit into the bilge area like I had hoped. That left me scrambling to come up with a plan B while the clock was ticking... not fun.... 

[fishaddict]

There are couple of good videos on YouTube about this install. Make sure you use prescribed diameter hole saw. Tape working surface and cut it around with new sharp utility blade. Put transducer dry an tighten the nut. Tape the transducer and area around the hole and cut around transducer rim. Remove it and bed it in 42/5200. I did not used rubber washer. Make the nut snug but do not over tighten. Prep is 90% of the time. 

[mudflat]

If you ever need to remove your B60 you will wish that you had used 4200 instead of 5200 sealant.

 

[IrishMist]

OK. Thanks.  I'm having my marina mechanic doing the install and will hope he does it right.  I'm not real comfortable sawing holes in the bottom of my boat.  I will relay the suggestions.